It is really looking like its going to be a very busy flu season in the US this year, more cases, this time, 2 cases from Minnesota.

Its interesting that this strain is said not to be swine related, but the article again fails to indicate which H3 strain it was.

The point of importance here is that having been laboratory confirmed, should the case have been H3N2 then the N2 designation might have been able to be identified as with or without the "M" gene from H1N1, which would give some information as to how infectous this flu strain might be.

Minn. health officials confirm first influenza cases of season

Minnesota has recorded its first two cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza for the 2012-13 season since official monitoring for influenza began Oct. 1, state health officials said Friday.

By: Anne Polta, West Central Tribune

Minnesota has recorded its first two cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza for the 2012-13 season since official monitoring for influenza began Oct. 1, state health officials said Friday.

The Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory confirmed that a 25-year-old Olmsted County woman’s illness was caused by the A (H3) strain of the virus and a 12-year old Hennepin County child’s illness was caused by a B strain of the virus. The A (H3) strain was not swine-related. Neither person was hospitalized